


3 knocks = You and I

by tooweird2live



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Best Friends, Comfort, Cute, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Understanding, soft, wordplay ig
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27961526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tooweird2live/pseuds/tooweird2live
Summary: “JenoandJaemin” might as well be a single word. After all, there´s no Jaemin without Jeno and no Jeno without Jaemin.Or Jeno and Jaemin have a three knocks code to communicate with each other, but they haven´t let out what they want to say the most. It takes Bella for them to get the memo.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 69





	3 knocks = You and I

**Author's Note:**

> This is honestly came to me in the middle of the night, like five months ago, but I couldn’t write it. Mildly inspired by a song and my reluctance to accept it as love song as you can see [here](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1/status/1305701189992853505?s=20) Also, last I checked nomin tag, I missed the fluff thing, so here it is :)
> 
> Idk if it´s in my usual style…? Also, I´d never written nomin seriously before, so ig I´m getting used to the new dynamic after writing so much markhyuck. So yeah, tell me if you like it or nah haha
> 
> Enjoy!

“JenoandJaemin” might as well be a single word. After all, there´s no Jaemin without Jeno and no Jeno without Jaemin.

Ever since the two boys met in their childhood, they´ve been inseparable. Jaemin was there when Jeno adopted his first cat. Jeno was there when Jaemin cooked alone for the first time. Jaemin was there when Jeno found his first love. Jeno was there when Jaemin discovered his first true passion. Jaemin was there when Jeno got his first heartbreak. Jeno was there when Jaemin got a back injury. Jaemin was there when Jeno was struggling with college. Jeno was there when Jaemin thought about leaving dance classes. Jaemin was there when Jeno smiled the brightest. Jeno was there when Jaemin laughed the hardest.

It is an understatement to say they´re attached by the hip.

However, the boys refuse being a single word. They are rather attached to their three knocks code, and if “JenoandJaemin” was a single word, it wouldn´t work anymore.

The code says that three knocks stands for three words. The thing is, out of the 171,476 words registered in the English dictionary, how do you know which three the other person thought about? Three knocks could mean basically anything.

Somehow, Jeno and Jaemin always know. Must be best friend telepathy.

When Jaemin knocks three times on his desk on their last class it means _I am hungry_ , and Jeno always answers back _Lunch with me?_ , to which Jaemin replies with _Meet me outside?_ , and Jeno knocks for _Yes, like always_.

When they are together at dance practice and Jeno knocks thrice on the floor, Jaemin knows it means _I am tired_ , and he answers with his own _Yeah, me too_. After a short pause, the younger boy always adds _Wanna go home_? and Jeno knocks for _A little later_. That´s the part where Jaemin chastises him _You should rest_ , and Jeno appeases him with a simple _Feed me afterwards_ or _Walk me home._

When one of them looks dejected, the other is sure to ask _Are you okay?_ The answers vary from _I am fine_ to _I am sad_ to _I need hugs_ to _It´s really nothing_ to _I want food_. But the reply to that is a constant: _I´m with you_.

Jeno and Jaemin always know. They are at this point in their friendship in which they can practically read each other´s minds – except for the things they want to say the most, but are afraid to word or knock out loud.

Other three-word phrases cross their brains often–

_I like you_

_I want you_

_Stand by me_

_Hold my hand_

_I am yours_

_Please be mine_

_Please kiss me_

_Please say it_

_I love you_

–and they´re usually followed by things like–

_We are friends_

_Love ruins friendship_

_Friends don´t kiss_

_Love is risky_

_Friends means forever_

_Love is unrequited_

_Friends is enough_

_I am fine_

They never knock out these thoughts, though. Those remain in the chaotic silence in their hearts.

Tough luck.

***

Jeno could spend the rest of his life like this: going grocery shopping with Jaemin every Saturday morning, and returning to his dorm on the subway.

He likes the sight of Jaemin in a hoodie and track pants, carrying two bags in a hand and holding the railing with the other. He likes how fluffy his hair looks, how pretty his bare face is, how much his big smile shines. He likes how Jaemin looks at him like he´s his partner in crime, even if they´re only buying groceries for the kids.

Jeno likes the feeling of being an important part of Jaemin´s routine. He enjoys being able to accompany the younger boy almost everywhere, and take care of him – we all know the boy loves taking care of others, but is sometimes clumsy to look after himself. And Jeno likes being that person who is somehow different from the rest of Jaemin´s friends.

Maybe he is staring too much, because Jaemin bumps into his shoulder with a sly smile. Jeno pettily turns around, ignoring him and his wiggling eyebrows. Jaemin gasps in mock-indignance, but the older boy pays him no mind.

Until he hears three small knocks.

_Thanks for coming_

He answers with his own three knocks, rolling his eyes: _Don´t be sappy._

Jaemin´s smile turns dangerous: _For you, always._

“Ewww,” Jeno complains out loud. Jaemin chuckles at him, and then proceeds to coo.

“Is Jeno-yah getting flustered for a small comment?” he says in a baby voice. Jeno sticks his tongue out, but Jaemin keeps babying him. He pinches his bicep as he coos: “Strong and handsome boy, being so shy, _awwwwwwwwwwww_.”

The older boy huffs and looks away, hoping the heat rushing on his cheeks is unnoticeable. Rationally speaking, he knows Jaemin is a flirt, but this kind of things still get to him sometimes. He can´t blame his heart for hoping.

Luckily for him, they make it to dorm in no time, so Jaemin redirects his teasing to the kids.

Unluckily for him, that also means Jaemin starts paying attention to the others and not him.

Usually, this simple fact doesn’t bother him much. He loves their friends and he´s used to it. Sometimes Jisung is a special source of…conflict for him, seeing how Jaemin babies him so much. But most times it´s manageable, mainly because he has a soft spot for Jisung (and honestly for all of their friends). Plus, Jeno thinks Jisung has something on them – especially when he catches them in their own world and just smiles fondly. Huh, what a weird kid.

So, everything is normal and going great, until Jeno hears Jaemin squeal. _Loudly_.

“Puppy!!!” Jaemin coos over the puppy, rubbing her head affectionately. Jeno feels something weird twisting in his stomach.

“You know Bella, right, Hyung?” Chenle asks. “The hyungs had to go out for the weekend or something, and asked us to take care of her. But they forgot that we aren´t allowed pets in our residence.”

“It won´t be a problem for you to take her, right?” Jisung adds with his cheeks squished up adorably. The kid is pulling out his guns on Jaemin, it seems.

“You know, I live here too,” Jeno chimes in quietly.

“Come on, Jen, it´s just for the weekend,” Jaemin says, pulling his biggest, cutest uwu face at the older boy. “And I´ve always wanted a puppy,” his pouting intensifies.

“My allergies…” Jeno tries weakly. And he knows that it´s no use to argue because the younger always wins, and Jeno is too whipped not to give him everything he wants. (There´s a reason why Jaemin´s bike ended up in his room).

“Jeno Hyung is just jealous of Bella,” Chenle says loudly, a devilish glint in his eyes. The elder glares at him. Everyone else just laughs.

“Just give in already, Hyung,” Hyuck singsongs. The rest of their boys agree with him.

Jeno has no choice but to groan and concede.

“You´re looking after her, though.”

“Yes!” Jaemin squeals once again. He wraps his hands around the elder, and Jeno´s heartbeat stutters for a second. Na Jaemin will be the death of him.

The rest of the dinner happens without major ado. Hyuck teases them all while being disgustingly cute with a very flustered Mark. Renjun is a savage and threatens to end them all. Chenle is his usual genius self, and Jisung collaborates with him in his little devilish acts. You know, their usual dinner mess.

And then there´s Jaemin. Beautiful, stunning Jaemin. He cooks with a happy smile on his pretty face, and lights up the world. He babies the kids, and makes them all laugh with his aegyo _and_ seriousness. He shows how much he cares about them, to each in his own way. He makes Jeno´s heart beat loudly against his ribs and his eyes crinkle into crescents with how hard he smiles.

In case you can´t tell, Jeno is whipped with a capital W.

The results of said whipped-ness include him latching on to Jaemin while he cooks, and then helping clean up, and washing dishes while Jaemin takes pictures (and is annoyingly cute about it, too).

The problem comes when they´re left alone again. With Bella.

Don´t get him wrong, Jeno thinks Bella is one of the cutest and most intelligent puppies out there (she understands four languages, bro!). But, he´d like her better if she wasn´t hoarding all of Jaemin´s attention. He keeps talking to her with a baby voice, playing with her, petting her head and rubbing her tummy affectionately.

Of course, Jeno´s instant reaction is to pout.

He knows he´s not behaving like big, 20-year-old boys are supposed to behave. He knows he´s being childish, ridiculous and whiny. He knows his thoughts shouldn´t go along the lines of _What does Jaemin want a puppy for if he already has me? I`m cute and play with him, too._ That doesn`t make him feel any better, though.

So, he decides that sitting on the couch and dejectedly watching Blue Exorcist on his laptop is a pretty good way to intensely avoid his feelings.

Jaemin notices, though, just like he notices most things that go through the elder´s head.

The younger boy taps Jeno´s shoulder three times: _Come play, Jen._

Jeno huffs. He expresses is indignation by not even knocking back, just shaking his head. Jaemin pouts, but he turns away, not letting that deter him from his little tantrum.

“ _Jenoooooo_ , come play with Bella and me,” Jaemin whines, pulling his best puppy eyes.

“I´m more of a cat person,” Jeno pettily replies. Jaemin gasps loudly and cover´s Bella´s ears.

“You´re being such a meanie to pretty Bella.”

“You´re being such a meanie to me,” he grumbles in return. As he notices that he said that out loud, he feels blood rushing to his cheeks and the tips of his ears. And, surprisingly, Jaemin stays quiet, looking at him with an undecipherable gaze.

The younger boy takes Jeno´s hand in his, startling the older boy. But Jaemin simply looks at him as he softly taps his thumb three times on Jeno´s hand. Jeno understands.

_Are you jealous?_

“I´m not,” he answers verbally, because he´d never be able to knock out a lie; Jaemin would know. Still, it seems like looking away tipped him off.

Suddenly, Jaemin leans in, pulling Jeno closer too. The younger boy´s breath tickles the shell of his ear, and Jeno pretends his heart isn´t about to burst out of his chest.

“I don´t want Bella to hear this,” he murmurs. “But you are my favorite, Jeno-yah. You´re the most important and irreplaceable person in my life.”

Jeno´s breath hitches. He knows this, but the sincerity in the other´s voice still comes over to him like big, warm blanket that covers him and keeps him safe. He turns back to face Jaemin – only to find that they´re barely apart.

“You´re the most special person to me, too” he admits in a whisper, as if it was a secret. The only sound in the room, is that of their agitated breaths, mingling together – not even Bella moves.

Jeno can feel the exact the moment when all the words left unsaid sizzling around turn into a fine line of tension between them. Because it´s the exact same moment that Jeno´s eyes land on Jaemin´s pretty pink lips. He takes in the soft curve of his cupid bow, and the way his tongue peaks out a bit to moisten them. He takes in how a shaky sigh leaves Jaemin´s slightly open mouth, and how he leans in.

Jeno is too dazzled to realize Jaemin´s lips are on his, kissing him softly, slowly, dearly.

The younger boy pulls away before he has time to process it. But Jeno isn´t about to let go – he has three words that are hard to say, but even harder to keep hidden in his chest. And he wants Jaemin to know. He wants Jaemin to feel them pressed against his beating heart, sincere and constant and _real_.

Jeno gently takes the younger´s face between his hands, looking into his confused eyes. With all the courage he has, he leans in, his body shaking with nerves – and he kisses Jaemin thrice on his lips. Just three quick little pecks, that carry a whole lot of meaning that knocks could never.

Because actions speak louder than words, Jaemin understands. He beams at the older boy, getting a beautiful smile and crescent moon eyes back.

“I love you too, Jen,” Jaemin says. Jeno´s smile grows impossibly larger. And he can´t hold his giggle when Jaemin knocks _Be my boyfriend?_

“I´d love to be your boyfriend.”

Even Bella barks in happiness at the (much awaited) development. A cute puppy can solve a lot of problems, you see. Dumb boys.

***

“JenoandJeamin” should be a single word. Synonyms for it should include other single words such as “love”, “friendship”, “together”, and “always”. Related words should be “unconditional”, “cute”, “oblivious” and “finally”.

Jeno and Jaemin would usually prefer their three knocks code any day. But they have thought about it, and they´re not that opposed to the idea anymore. After all, “you and I” can be a pretty “us”.

**Author's Note:**

> Done! Tbh I think moderated jealousy is not necessarily bad, yk like Littré said “A sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else”, and I find that romantic to a certain point. Anywayssss, just wanted to say that I don´t want this to be taken as romanticization of possessiveness or something toxic fr. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> [Twitter !](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1)


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